


Lex's Charming Adventures Part 2

by orphan_account



Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/M, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26261908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Chapters 2 and 3 of the previous work. I didn't realizing orphaning the work meant I couldn't add new chapters. My apologies. Mainly for the story, not the double post.
Relationships: Juice Ortiz/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	Lex's Charming Adventures Part 2

The sun was setting by the time I was finished putting all of my things away. I’d found a small spot on the balcony to stash my weed where hopefully Gemma wouldn’t notice, and besides that I just had my medications to put away. I heard a small knock on the door and it gently opened.

  
"Hey sweetheart, you alright?“ It was Gemma.

  
"I’m fine. I just wanted to get all my stuff unpacked, you know. Feel more at home.”

  
"Bullshit, but that’s ok. You’ll come around and talk to me when you’re ready, darling.” Gemma chuckled and took a seat on my bed next to me.

  
“I’ve got some good news. Clay, Jackson and the rest of the guys are going on a run tonight. That’s why they were all here earlier, to say goodbye. I’ve invited Tara and Lyla over, figured you could benefit from some pep talk. Tara is Jax’s girlfriend and Lyla is a good friend of the club. You could say that she does…business with them.”

I tried not to raise my eyebrow too high when I heard that Jax had a girlfriend, but I decided I wouldn’t say anything to Tara. I wasn’t here to start drama, after all. Gemma’s head turned as she looked around my room, and her eyes landed on my two medication bottles sitting on my drawer. She leaned over and picked them up.

  
“Hey…” I tried to speak but she cut me off.

  
“Zoloft? Xanax? The hell have they got you on?”

  
“I didn’t ask for it, but it helps…most of the time.”

  
“You do realize I’m going to have to take this and monitor it for you, right?” I sighed, I had seen that coming.

  
“Yeah. Actually, I think that would be a good idea.”

  
“Well you’d better, because it’s not like you have another choice kiddo.” Gemma just loved to push people’s buttons. Her phone began buzzing in her pocket and she answered it.

  
“Sorry, I didn’t hear the doorbell. I’m up here talking to Lex. Yeah, she got here today. Alright, be down in a second.” She snapped her flip phone shut and turned to me.

  
"Tara and Lyla are here, come on.“ She motioned for me to get up and I followed her downstairs. The living room that was once filled with bikers was now empty, but the smell of their beer and cigarettes still lingered in the air. I pictured the man I’d met earlier, Juice, in my mind. On the outside he appeared to be a funny, dorky and laid back guy. That look in his eyes that I’d seen after I rudely ended our conversation was still burned into my thoughts. It was a sadness that I knew all too well and it made me wonder what else was going on inside of his head. Now that I was calmed down, I felt a tinge of regret for being mean to him. If he didn’t think I was crazy before, he definitely did now. Gemma answered the door for two women, one was a blonde and the other a brunette. They appeared to be a couple years older than me but they were both very pretty.

  
"Lex, this is Tara and Lyla.” Lyla had long, gorgeous wavy blonde hair and big blue eyes. Tara had straight, dark brown hair that fell a bit past her shoulders and she had striking green eyes. Tara quickly greeted me and then ushered Gemma into the kitchen to speak about something, she seemed slightly ticked off. I was suddenly craving a cigarette so I walked off onto the porch and sat down, Lyla followed me out and sat next to me. The sun was beginning to set, and I couldn’t help but notice that dusk looked beautiful when it loomed over Charming. I put my cigarette in my mouth and lit it, then I passed my lighter to Lyla so she could do the same.

  
"So how tight of a leash does Gemma have you on?“ Lyla asked me.

  
"Jesus, does everyone know about me?” She laughed and took a drag of her cigarette.

  
"We know very little of why you’re staying here, just the bare details. Gemma knows all the gritty stuff but she hasn’t said anything to anyone, after all she does want you to be comfortable here. So if anyone says anything to you just ignore them, because I can assure you that they don’t know shit.“ I was already beginning to like Lyla, talking to her was comfortable and felt natural. Knowing that information didn’t make me feel any better about Juice, but at least I knew now that Jax had been talking out of his ass. Taking a drag of my cigarette, I attempted to steer the conversation away from myself.

  
"So Gemma told me that you do business with the club?” Lyla smirked.

  
"So is that what Gemma called it? No, it really isn’t that bad. I own a porn studio called Red Woody. I don’t star in any of the films but I produce them. I used to be an escort, no shame there. I did what I had to do to take care of my kid, and I gradually moved up the ladder.“

  
"That’s actually pretty awesome. Any jobs openings?” I said jokingly. I didn’t see Lyla as lesser than anyone else because of her profession.

  
"Gemma would kill me! But I do know that she’s putting you to work. You’re gonna love your summer gig so don’t worry.“

  
"You know anything about that?”

  
"It’s a surprise, Lex.“ She took a final drag of her cigarette and flicked it away. I did the same thing as I was thinking about how much I hated surprises. The front door swung open and Gemma’s head poked out.

  
"Come on inside ladies, we’ve got to get this baking started.”

  
"Baking?“ I questioned as Lyla and I got up and walked back inside of the house.

  
"I was going to tell you about it when the boys stopped over but it slipped my mind. Charming’s having their annual carnival tomorrow night and they always expect me to come up with the good stuff. I agree to it because the club and this family do a lot for this town.” I noticed Tara standing in the kitchen, looking a lot more relieved than she did when she first came in, cracking eggs into a big bowl. I guess she and Gemma had sorted out whatever was bothering her while I had been outside talking to Lyla. 

  
"We have to get the majority of this finished by eight, Gemma. Lyla and I have to pick up the kids from Opie’s. Donna can’t watch Ellie, Kenny, Piper, Abel and Thomas by herself all night.” Tara was obviously preoccupied with other things and quickly going through the motions of making chocolate chip cookies.

  
"Woah, that sounds like a lot of kids. I could babysit sometime if you ever needed me to, Tara.“ I didn’t want to be dead weight all summer so I figured I would offer to help out wherever I was needed, plus I liked the fact that one of the children shared my brother’s name. She exchanged glances with Gemma and than looked at me.

  
"Yeah, sure. Maybe.” I could tell she was feeling a bit standoffish, I tried to brush it away. She just didn’t know me to well, that was all.

  
"Well if you ever wanted to take Piper off my hands for a few hours while I’m doing a shoot that would be great.“ Lyla chimed in, attempting to make me feel better. She seemed a lot more welcoming than Tara, I liked her a lot so far.

  
"Well before we get to any of that sweetheart, I propose we get these baked goods finished. And if you do a good enough job, I might let you go to the carnival tomorrow night, as long as one of these lovely ladies keeps an eye on you.” Gemma said with a wink towards Lyla and Tara. I washed my hands and started putting together a brownie mix while Lyla handed me the various ingredients. Tara put her cookies in the oven while Gemma stood watch with a smile on her face, holding a box of cake mix. Gemma’s phone began ringing again and she motioned for Tara to follow her out into the hallway, leaving Lyla and I alone again.

  
"Tara really is a sweet girl, her and Jax are just going through another one of their rough patches. They have two kids together, Abel and Thomas, but the club’s been putting some stress on their relationship lately. Gemma seems to feed into it, even though she loves Tara. We can get kind of complicated sometimes, but you’re in good hands. I promise.“

  
"Well, when I first got here I was kind of rude to this guy who was just trying to talk to me. I was feeling a little overwhelmed and I took it out on him. So I can definitely understand how difficult emotions can cause you to be a little…hostile.” I didn’t know why it felt so important to me to get that off of my chest, but I knew if there was anyone I could talk to besides Gemma, it was Lyla.

  
"You mind if I ask who that guy was?“

  
"You may know him…he said his name was Juice.” Lyla laughed and shook her head.

  
"Juice is a sensitive little shit. He probably ran into the nearest closet and cried after you did or said whatever it was. All jokes aside, he’s a sweetheart. Probably the nicest guy to ever be in a motorcycle club…ever. That’s why the crow eaters walk all over him, and he’s always coming to me crying about how one of them broke his heart again. I told him that the next time it happens, I’m just going to stop helping him get laid.“

  
"I guess I should apologize to him next time I see him. He’s actually kind of cute but…I mean, not that I have a crush on him or anything. Gemma would never allow that even if I did.” Shit. Why did I let that slip so easily?

  
"Well, hypothetically, if you and Juice ever wanted to hang out in…private, away from Gemma, I could cover for you. I wouldn’t personally suggest you jumping into bed with any of the club members, but Juice is only twenty four, which isn’t creepy old man territory, and he’s genuinely a nice guy.“ With that, Lyla placed our brownies in the oven underneath Tara’s cookies.

  
"Thanks, but I don’t think anything is going to happen between us. I’ve only met the guy once, and the last thing my life needs right now is more complications.”

  
“I only said it hypothetically, Lex.” Lyla said it to me with a mischievous smirk.

  
"Could you do me a favor and keep this entire conversation between us?”

  
"Of course, sweetheart.“

  
Gemma and Tara came back into the kitchen, Tara was throwing a light camel jacket over her shoulders and zipping it up.

  
"Lyla I’ve got to go, the kids are driving Donna crazy. You mind if I bring Piper back to my place with Abel and Thomas? Gemma will give you a ride over there when you’re all done here.”

  
"Yeah sure that’s not a problem. Go do your thing, I’ll see you later.“ Tara nodded and headed for the door.

  
"Bye, Lex.” She said softly as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Gemma shook her head and turned to us.

  
"Tara can be a headache sometimes, but she does love our boys more than anything in this world. Now let’s see, what’s left? We’ve got this cake, cupcakes, muffins and a pie to get through.“ Lyla and I both groaned while Gemma chuckled. This was going to take a while.  
__________________  
By the time everything was baked, frosted, individually wrapped, and placed inside of tupperware containers and labeled, it was about eleven o'clock at night. Gemma trusted me enough to stay in the house by myself for a little while when she went to go drop off Lyla. She did threaten my life if anything was misplaced in her house by the time she got back, so I made sure to just stay in my room. Although I did make sure to exchange phone numbers with Lyla before she headed out, and promised to shoot her a text if I needed anything. Gemma mentioned something about Clay not being home until the early hours of the morning, which made me wonder exactly what the Sons did when they went out on their runs, but another part of me didn’t even want to know. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I got upstairs and fell apart on my bed. I got up to take off my bra and change into a black tank top and a pair of pajama shorts. I always quickly removed my eye makeup and brushed my teeth. I threw on a flannel and sat on my balcony for a moment to smoke a cigarette. Now that I was finally alone, I could unravel myself again. Hot tears made their way down my cheeks as I finally let my emotions out. I had decided not to give any of my family members a phone call until three days had passed because I needed to give myself time to adjust. Right now, more than anything in the world, I just wanted my brother Thomas. Before he got sick, he had been the glue keeping me together. After him, it was Jason, and then it was substances. Now, it was nothing except for these moments where I could just be alone. When my cigarette was finished I flicked it off into the distance and exited the balcony. I shut and locked the doors leading out and plopped onto my bed, feeling defeated. After about an hour of tossing and turning, sleep found me.

  
I woke up that morning to someone banging on my bedroom door, and Gemma’s voice.

  
"Rise and shine sweetheart, you’ve got work to do!” I opened my eyes, still groggy, to see morning light attempting to make its way into my room through the doors leading out into the balcony.

  
"I’m up, I’m up.“ I said weakly, lifting myself out of the bed. Half asleep, I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie and ran a brush through my hair. I made my way down to the kitchen to see Gemma standing over the oven, making omelets, looking chipper as ever. Clay was sitting at the head of the living room table, drinking black coffee and reading a newspaper. He had been out all night apparently, but he still looked more refreshed than I did. Guess he was used to it. He smiled at me when he saw me come downstairs, looking half dead.

  
"Good morning, dear.” He looked right back into his newspaper after he greeted me.

  
"There’s coffee in the pot. Cream’s in the fridge, sugar’s in the cabinet. Eat your breakfast quick and get dressed, you’re starting work today.“ Gemma’s voice was stern and it sounded like she was commanding me more than she was telling me. I did what I was told, and the first thing I noticed was how strong Gemma made her coffee, although I wasn’t surprised.

  
"You’re starting today at Gemma’s flo-…” Clay began to speak but was immediately cut off.

  
"Don’t spoil it for her, Clay! Idiot.“ Gemma yelled at him. She definitely was hyper in the morning. Clay grunted and went back to his newspaper. After breakfast was over I offered to do the dishes for Gemma which she appreciated, and then I went upstairs to take a shower. While I was getting dressed I decided on a white button down short sleeve crop top and a pair of blue boyfriend jeans. I also threw on a red and white oversized flannel and a pair of sneakers. I teased up my wavy chestnut brown hair to make it more voluminous and applied my usual eye makeup and lipstick.

  
"Jesus Christ Lex, are you finished getting ready yet?” Gemma called from downstairs.  
“I’m coming now!”

  
"I’m starting up the car, you’ve got two minutes!“ I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs, quickly waving goodbye to Clay on my way out. I hopped into the passenger side of Gemma’s car. She looked me over as she turned the key into the ignition and flicked her cigarette out of the window.

  
"I don’t know who you’re trying to impress, getting all sexy for. But I can assure you that Jackson is going to be working at TM all day.” She said with a wink. I cringed internally at the thought of Jax. Sure, he was extremely attractive, no one was denying that, but he rubbed me the wrong way. I wasn’t about to let Gemma know that I didn’t think her son was all that, though. We drove through Charming, passing the Teller-Morrow auto shop and the infamous clubhouse that housed the Sons of Anarchy. After about fifteen minutes, Gemma stopped in front of a cute looking shop with the words ‘Rose Madock-Teller Flowers & Co.’ plastered on the front in pretty pink cursive letters. 

  
"Gemma, what is this?“ I asked her as we both got out of the car. I followed her inside of the shop, which was pretty spacious but completely empty. There was a counter in the center that looked like it was supposed to be a cash wrap and lots of window space and empty shelves.

  
"My mother loved flowers. She always wanted her own shop before she passed. When I first moved to Charming I bought out this store space in hope of making that happen, but one thing after another went on and this always got pushed to the back. But you, my dear, will be running this place all summer.” I wasn’t exactly sure how to react. The store was completely barren, I had no idea what to expect next.

  
"Don’t look so scared, honey. One of the boys is on his way now with a shipment. I ordered everything ahead of time so it would be here upon your arrival. Flowers that are already bloomed and ready to go out are on their way. Today your responsibility will remain solely on getting the place set up and looking pretty. I’ve also ordered you plenty of vases, soil, seeds, etc. There’s a pretty big garden space out back for you to plant. The first round of flowers is on me, but you’ll have to plant all the other ones yourself. You’ll be making floral arrangements for costumers, and rearranging the color patterns of the flowers in the store once a week. It’s also your responsibility to order new stuff when you run out. I’m giving you one full week to prepare to officially open the store. Now come on, let me show you around.“ Behind the counter and to the left was a door that lead out into a small hallway. There was a unisex bathroom and what appeared to be a tiny break room. Other than that, there was a door leading outside. The break room was so small, it could fit about four people at the most. There was a mini fridge and a pantry.

  
"There’s some ginger ale and some old ice packs in the mini fridge, and granola bars in the pantry. You’ll have to supply your own snacks from now on as well.” The last thing we checked out was the garden space in the back. It was a decent size for the amount of flowers I’d have to produce, and there was a cute little sidewalk leading from some parking space to the back door.

  
"So, any questions?“ Gemma asked me as we walked back into the main store area.

  
"I’m amazed that you’re giving me all of this responsibility.”

  
"Well don’t completely fail me and you might get a raise, sweetheart. Think about it this way to, flowers are relaxing, healing and therapeutic. I discussed this over with your father, he thinks it’s a great idea. My motto is, the best way to teach young people responsibility is to put them to work.“

I nodded my head, trying to take it all in. I really liked the idea, I was just nervous that I wouldn’t be able to live up to Gemma’s standards.

  
"Anyway, I’ve got to head over to TM. God knows I’m the only one there that keeps everything together. Just relax, smoke a cigarette, wait for your shipment and make me proud. Think you can do that?” I took a deep breath.  
“Yeah Gemma. I’ve got this. Thank you.”

  
"Atta girl.“ She said, giving me a quick hug. She handed me a store key and a house key. As she was heading out the door she turned around and said one last thing to me before driving off.

  
"And don’t you even think about having any scandalous sex with the guy bringing your shipment. I’m watching you.” As she drove off, I attempted to give myself a pep talk.

‘You’ve got this, you’ve got this. Flowers are relaxing, healing and therapeutic, just like Gemma said.’

I stepped outside to have a cigarette while I waited for this mystery guy to come bring me my stuff. My heart dropped when I looked up and realized who Gemma had tasked with delivering the shipment of flowers. Juice parked the truck in the back of the shop and I sighed as I locked the front doors and made my way outside through the back entrance to meet him. I swung the back door open, not realizing he was standing right there, and accidentally smacked his attractive face with it, sending him backwards. Shit. Why was I always such a clumsy mess around him?

  
"Oh my god I’m so sorry Juice.“ I began apologizing. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt underneath his kutte, showing off his muscles very nicely. He stood up, still recovering from the blow.

  
"No, no its ok. I shouldn’t of been standing so close to the door. My bad.” Once again he was taking the blame for something that was clearly my fault. I almost wanted to smack him with the door again for being so cute.

  
"Why don’t you take a minute before we unload the shipment? Come sit down. There’s a pantry, and I can get you an ice pack.“

  
"Sounds like a plan.” He nodded his head, sounding exasperated. I lead him to the small break room, and I didn’t realize how tiny it was until I was alone in there with Juice. He sat down at the table while I got him an ice pack and a ginger ale. He gratefully accepted both and I sat down across from him. It was silent for a moment as he held the coldness to his forehead. I sat there awkwardly, trying not to stare even though he was the only thing to look at. Finally, he took it upon himself to break the silence.

  
"Do you always run people over in hallways and smack them with doors?“  
"No. That seems to be specifically just with…you.” I pushed my hair back behind my ear and looked down.

  
"Well that makes me feel special.“ He chuckled at my embarrassment. I figured now was the time to say what had been on my mind since I’d first met him.

  
"So..uh..I’m sorry about being a moody bitch yesterday.” Juice looked up at me, his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes meeting mine.

  
"It’s alright, I get it. You’re new, I probably freaked you out with my head tats and what not.“ He couldn’t of been more wrong, but I was glad he wasn’t holding a grudge.

  
"I like your tattoos. No one else could pull it off, but on you they look awesome.”

The words slipped off my tongue before I realized what I was saying and I felt my cheeks flush. Juice gave me one of his signature beautiful smiles.  
“No one has ever said anything to me like that before. Thank you.”

I nodded my head, unsure of what to say next. Juice seemed more confident now, I really enjoyed that his ego wasn’t through the roof.

  
"I think it’s really cute that you’re going to be working here. I’m just imagining you, with your punk rock style, tending to flowers and it’s adorable.“ I was smiling now, and it was a real smile. Not the faked, cringe worthy smile I gave to my parents or Gemma. Sitting and talking to him, for some reason, made me genuinely happy.

  
"What do you do, Juice? I mean, besides being in the club?”

  
"Well I own twenty percent of this weed shop called Clear Passages on Crest field, so I guess I’m into the whole flower shop thing to.“ He said with a smirk.

"Besides that, I’m a mechanic, usually spend a lot of time at TM.”  
“Sounds like you’re not a man that has too much free time.”

  
"If you ever wanted to hang out, I mean I would love to spend more time with you…there’s a carnival tonight.“

  
"I was going to go with Lyla and Tara, but we can definitely meet up.”

I knew that I wanted to see him tonight, although the happiness radiating from inside me also had me frightened. The last time I’d been this happy, I’d later found out that Jason was dead. I also didn’t know if it was appropriate for me to move on this quickly. It had been six months since he passed away in that car accident and I still sometimes saw his face in my dreams. The reality of it all didn’t hit me until I no longer heard his voice when I dialed his cell phone number, knowing that no one would answer. I also knew that this would never be ok with Gemma or my father, so I wasn’t entirely sure where I was going with this. I just knew, in that moment, that I wanted to see him tonight.

  
"So it’s a date.“ Juice was smiling to. If he was sad on the inside, he hid it well. I didn’t understand how someone who was emotionally broken like me could make him smile, but here he was, smiling ear to ear like a goofy idiot. An incredibly sexy goofy idiot, that is.

  
"Hey Lex, can I ask you something?”

  
"Go ahead.“

  
"Why are you staying here with Gemma?” My brain scrambled, trying to find the right answer. I didn’t want him to know the truth about me, it was too soon. I didn’t want him to look at me and only be able to see my depression or anxiety before he got to know me.

  
"I’m just here to work the flower shop for the summer. My dad’s good friends with Gemma. Figured he could get me to do something productive until I started school in the fall.“ Juice seemed saddened that I would be leaving for school, but he didn’t press the subject any further.

  
"So how about we start unloading this shipment?” I suggested, trying to drop any awkward tension.

  
"Yeah we should get started now, if we ever want to make it to this carnival tonight.“ He said with a smirk and abruptly got up from his seat.

  
"Thanks for the ice pack and the soda.”

  
"No problem. You need any help with the boxes?“

  
"No, some of them are pretty heavy even though it’s all flowers. Just leave the back door open and I’ll bring in everything for you.”

  
"Ok, thanks.“

  
I put a door stopper underneath the back door and watched as Juice made trips back and fourth bringing all the boxes in. Upon inspection, I discovered that boxes with holes pocked in them were flowers, while other boxes contained glass vases, ground soil, and seeds. The already bloomed flowers wrapped in cellophane needed to be taken care of immediately. There were Iris, Tulips, Lilac, Zinnia, and my personal favorite, red roses. I got out some vases and packed them with fresh soil and carefully added the flowers to them. I set them up in the windows where there was sure to be lots of sunlight. It was already beginning to look more lively in the shop but there was still a lot of work to be done. I didn’t notice that two hours had passed. Juice never left, once he was finished unloading boxes he took a seat and watched me as I set up my shop. I had music playing in the background and we talked the entire time. I found out that he was Puerto Rican and originally from Queens, New York, which explained his distinct accent that I loved. He never got too involved speaking about his family but he did mumble something about his mom and sister. l talked to him about my brother Thomas, who I loved dearly, and his battle with cancer. I told him about my friends from back home and some of the adventures we’d been on. It wasn’t until his phone rang that we were both snapped back into reality.

  
"Oh hey Jax. Church? Yeah. Be there in a minute. Bye.”  
“Church?” I questioned.

  
"It’s club stuff. Anyway, are you almost finished? I know Gemma had asked me to give you a lift home.“

  
"Yeah, I’m ready. The place is starting to come together. Going to have to come in early tomorrow morning and start planting.”

  
"Cool, let’s head out.“ He said, getting up from his seat.

  
"What are you in such a rush for?” I playfully questioned him.

  
"Well the quicker I drop you off and head to the clubhouse, the quicker I’ll get to see you tonight.“ He said with a wink. I just smiled at him as I made sure the lights were turned off and the place was locked up. We both headed outside into the truck, Juice opening up the passenger side door for me, which definitely earned him some points. I wasn’t sure if biker dudes knew anything about chivalry, but Juice seemed to. The ride home was relatively quiet, but there seemed to be a mutual understanding between the two of us. The radio was playing softly, and every time there was a chance for him to, his fingers lightly interlaced with mine. He parked the truck across the street from Gemma’s house, and I was slightly saddened that I had to be separated from him even if it was only for a couple hours.

  
"Is this alright?” He asked me.

  
"Yeah, this is fine.“

  
"So I’ll uh, see you later?”

  
"Yes, Juice.“

  
“Cool. I Can’t wait.” He seemed just like a little kid at a candy shop, and it was adorable. 

  
"Bye.”

I said softly, but before I could get a chance to open the door our eyes met. There was a moment where I felt like he might kiss me, or he was debating in his mind if he should kiss me or not. He leaned in and pecked me on the lips, a sweet, innocent gesture. Just the smallest touch from him set my body on fire, and it took all of my will power to get out of the truck and not hop into the back seat with him. I lit a cigarette as he drove off, trying to wipe the cheeky grin off my face.  
Gemma was going to kill us both. 

* * *

CHAPTER 3

As I walked inside of Gemma’s house, I did my best to hide the stupid smile that lingered over my face from kissing Juice. I soon found out that it didn’t matter what facial expressions I made, since no one was home. I knew Clay wouldn’t be there since Juice had mentioned club business, and I figured Gemma was still at TM, but I assumed they’d be home soon for the carnival tonight. I was planning out in my head how I could sneak around with Juice without Gemma finding out as I skipped up the stairs into my bedroom. I noticed a small plastic cup on my night stand with an exact dose of my antidepressants inside of it. Gemma must’ve reached out to my father and asked him what time I normally took my medications. I used the tap water in the hallway bathroom to swallow the pills and straightened myself out in the mirror. I touched up my makeup a little bit and ran my fingers through my hair. Besides that, I was ready to go. I heard the front door opening, and then a call from downstairs.

“Lex, are you home?” It was Gemma’s voice.

“Upstairs!” I called down to her.

“I hope you’re not _pampering_ yourself again. You’re not allowed to date anyone, remember?” The tone of her voice was humorous, but she did have a serious undertone so I knew to take her word for it.

“Actually, Gemma, you said I’m not allowed to date _club members_ , so I assumed any other guy was fair play.” I said jokingly as I made my way down the stairs to greet her.

“Let me find out you’re being promiscuous, and I’ll have you locked up in the hallway closet all summer.” She said, shooting me a death glare. I decided not to continue that conversation with her, because she definitely meant it. Lyla and Tara entered the house at that moment. They had Abel, Thomas, and Piper with them. I could tell from one look that Abel was Jax’s son. They had the same hair and eye color, and even though Abel was just a child, he had that mischievous expression on his face that Jax would always do. Piper was around the same age as Abel, and he was an adorable kid. Thomas was in his stroller, fast asleep. He resembled Tara quite a bit. I knew Tara wasn’t Abel’s biological mother, that much was evident, but she did care for him as if she was.

“Opie and Donna are already there with Ellie and Kenny. We should head out soon.” Tara said as she grabbed some of the baked goods we’d made last night, bringing them to her car.

“Abel, you’re not allowed to eat _any_ of these until we get to the carnival, alright?” I could hear Tara from outside. Gemma had a confused look on her face.

“Shouldn’t Opie be with the guys?” She questioned Lyla.

“Donna’s been trying to get his attention away from the club again. Jax gave him a pass to skip out tonight.” Gemma nodded her head as Lyla answered her and didn’t press the subject any further.

“Clay’s taking me out to dinner and drinks tonight, so I’m going to be arriving a little later than you guys. Think you can handle it, Lex?” Gemma said to me with a smirk. I nodded my head, trying not to let the excitement show on my face. Little did she know, that arrangement was _perfect_ for Juice and I.

“Don’t worry Gem, I won’t let her do anything she shouldn’t be doing.” Lyla wrapped her arm momentarily around my shoulder and playfully shuffled herself against me, causing me to break out into laughter.

“You girls should grab some stuff and meet Tara out by the car, she’s in full on _mommy mode_.” As Gemma said this, she lifted little Thomas out of his stroller and cradled him. I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful of a child he was. It was almost like I felt an instant connection to him because he shared a name with my brother. Gemma noticed this and passed the baby into my arms.

“You looked like you wanted to hold him, sweetheart.” She said with a smile. I held Thomas close to myself and swayed him gently in my arms. I could feel every soft breath he took and felt a little drool from his mouth on my shoulder, I didn’t mind though. Lyla led Piper out to the car as Tara came back inside to grab more stuff. She seemed a lot less tense since the last time I’d seen her. Her lips curled up slightly when she saw me holding Thomas affectionately.

“If you wanted to put him in his car seat for me, that would be a big help.” She said, her tone definitely sounding more relaxed. I nodded at her and walked Thomas outside to the car. Abel and Piper were already seated in the two middle seats of the minivan, tossing their toys at one another.

“Be careful, you guys!” I warned as I brought Thomas to the back and strapped him into his car seat, making sure he was comfortable.

“Who are _you_?” Abel questioned me, ignoring Piper who was still trying to play with him.

“I’m Lex, I’m friends with your mommy and your grandma.” I said back to him.

“Oh. Can I have some cookies?” That answer, short and sweet, had been enough for him to completely trust me.

“Me to.” Piper chimed in.

“I know both of your mommies told you that we’ve got to wait until we get to the carnival before we can have cookies.” They both pouted and turned away from me, causing me to giggle.

“Guess I’m stuck back here with you, big guy.” I whispered to Thomas, who was still fast asleep. Lyla got the rest of the muffins, cookies and cakes inside of the trunk and I heard it slam shut. She got into the passenger side of the car, followed by Tara who was behind the steering wheel. They both chuckled when they noticed I was all the way in the back with Thomas.

“It’s cool guys. I’m totally comfortable back here.” I said, laughing at myself. Gemma came up to the side window and Lyla rolled it down to talk to her.

“You ladies have a good time with our boys, I’ll see you in about three hours. Clay’s making a speech tonight to the town, therefore we won’t be getting _too_ drunk.” She did the _‘I’m watching you’ hand motion directed at me, before winking and walking back inside of her house. Tara pulled out of the driveway, my nerves slowly starting to come to a boil. I was waiting for the perfect moment to ask Lyla the question. The drive was barely even ten minutes long, Abel sang along to the car radio the entire way there. We pulled into the parking lot and the first thing I noticed was the giant Ferris wheel, among a lot of other rides. There was carnival games, cotton candy, children and adults alike. Some people were hanging out around a large stage, where I assumed Clay would be making his speech. Once the car was completely stopped I began getting Thomas out of his car seat, his beautiful blue eyes beginning to open._

“Alright boys, we’re here, it’s almost time for _cookies_!” Tara’s voice was unusually high pitched for her, but I enjoyed the happiness that I could hear in it. As Tara and Lyla retrieved the two boys from their seats I made my way out of the minivan with Thomas. Tara grabbed his stroller out of the trunk for me and I helped him get situated. He seemed to like me, letting out little angelic giggles as I rubbed his tummy. I didn’t notice Tara behind me, observing the situation, until she spoke.

“Hey, would you still be available to watch the boys?” I was taken back by her change of heart, and I stood up to face her.

“I’d love to, I just didn’t think you were too thrilled about the idea.” She breathed out, allowing a smile to make its way onto her face, and letting her hands fall to her hips.

“Look, I’m sorry about the attitude when we first met. I wasn’t having the best day, things can get really difficult with Jax sometimes, but I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable. I can see that you’re great with kids, meanwhile Jax and I have been flirting with the idea of going up to the cabin next weekend, just the two of us. Hoping that some quality time could take the edge off of our current situation.” Feeling relieved that Tara was opening up to me instead of shutting me out, I decided that I would agree to help anytime they needed me.

“It’s alright. I can’t be angry about things like that, because I’m guilty of it myself at times. I have no issues babysitting, as long as it’s alright with Jax.” My first time seeing Jackson since I’d come back hadn’t gone smoothly, so I wondered how he’d feel about me watching his kids.

“I don’t think Jax will mind, he knows you’re family. I’ll run it by him of course, but it shouldn’t be a problem.” I nodded and pushed my hair back behind one ear, excited to potentially spend more time with Thomas. I could hear Abel and Piper crying about their precious cookies, so I figured it was time to get our baked goods table set up. I looked over at Lyla, only to see her having a conversation with two people, a man and a woman. The woman wore her dark brown hair in a short bob, meanwhile she was sporting a basic t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She was simple, but still pretty, and I could tell she was a mother due to the two children on either side of her, which I assumed were Kenny and Ellie. The man was obviously a club member, sporting a leather kutte with Sons of Anarchy plastered on the back. He wore a beanie and had quite a bit of facial hair and a beard, but I could tell he was a very nice looking man. Whatever he was talking about must’ve been extremely interesting, because Lyla seemed hooked on every word that came out of his mouth. She broke out of her trance long enough to motion for me to come and meet them. I walked over with Thomas in his stroller as Tara took Abel by his hand and lead him along.

“Lex, this is Opie and Donna. More family, there’s quite a bit of us.” Lyla almost didn’t get through her sentence before Piper tugged at her shirt, begging to go into the carnival and on all the rides. As I came closer, Opie’s face and name became more familiar to me. I was almost positive that I’d known him along with Jax when we were all still children.

“I don’t believe this is the first time we’ve met, but it’s nice to see you again.” Opie said to me, studying my features. I was glad to realize that he was just trying to see if he truly did recognize me, instead of looking me up and down like a wild animal, he wasn’t like Jax.

“I used to live here when I was a kid, my dad’s been family friends with Gemma for decades now, we definitely had to of run into each other at some point.” Recognition filled his face as old memories came back to him.

“Right. I think you were the girl that blackmailed Jax for candy, so you wouldn’t tell Gemma about Tara coming over while she wasn’t home.” Opie said now, with a pretty big smile on his face. I turned to look at Tara, never realizing until that moment she had been the unlucky girl who had to deal with me back then.

“That was _you_?” I asked her. She simply giggled and nodded her head and my cheeks flushed red.

“Sorry. I’ve grown up more since then, I promise.” I said jokingly.

“All’s been forgiven.” She said to me with a twinkle in her eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lex. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Donna.” The woman standing next to Opie introduced herself to me. I was only slightly nervous at what she meant by _hearing a lot about me_ , but she seemed nice enough. I noticed both of their wedding rings, and it clicked to me that Donna was Opie’s wife. I engaged in some short conversation with her as the other two women popped open the trunk of the car and began carrying the baked goods toward our table. The children finally got the cookies they were begging for, and I realized I should probably start talking to Lyla about my plans for the night. Opie and Donna were showing off some serious public displays of affection with sweet kisses and hand holding. I almost thought I could see a hint of jealousy and sadness in Lyla’s face every time they pulled away from each other, but it _probably meant nothing._

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” I seized an opportunity to speak with Lyla now that the baked goods table was all set up and there was already a line of people wanting to buy snacks for their children. Donna was handing them out and taking a dollar for each one inside of a small tin can off to the side of the table. Tara was attempting to keep the excited children control, and Opie was smoking a cigarette slightly off in the distance.

“Sure, what’s up?” She responded to me.

“You wouldn’t mind if I wanted to hang out with…Juice for a little bit, would you?” A nervous smile creeped onto my face as I said his name, and Lyla’s eyes lit up.

“I _knew_ you had a thing for him. I knew something was going to go down between you two when Gemma told me he was the one dropping off your shipment.” She was giggling like a high school teenager, and I was trying to not turn completely red.

“We’re just _friends_ , I guess. He’s a cool guy.” There was more I wanted to say to plead my case, but my words got all jumbled up inside of my head when his face popped into my mind.

“I don’t mind if you see him for a little bit, but you’d better be responsible. Gemma won’t trust me if she finds out I’m letting you do this.”

“Ooh, you’re the best!” I squealed with delight and pulled her in for a quick hug.

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t have to remind me darling’, I already know that.” She said sarcastically.

I could hear the roar of motorcycles in the distance, and Lyla began to nudge me on my shoulder.

“You’ve got a good two hours with Juice until Gemma and Clay show up. Keep that in the back of your mind, and I’ll text you if anything changes with their plans. Don’t wander off too far, and please, use a _rubber_.” She spoke to me softly, but broke out into a giggle at that last part.

“I hope you’re kidding, Lyla! I just met the guy. He’s cute, funny and sweet. Thanks to Gemma’s rules, this probably won’t even turn into anything. And I am _not_ going to have sex with him.” She gave me a look that told me she knew I was bullshitting.

“That’s what they all say, sweetheart. But apparently Juice is _amazing_ in the sack. Just be careful, Lex.” I gave her a silent nod to let her know without words that I understood her. I could see the guys pulling up to the carnival and parking their bikes. Jax and Juice were the two that I immediately recognized. I noticed one man that was significantly older than them with a pretty big beer gut who was dressed up as… _Elvis._ Two other guys had crow eaters riding with them. Jax got off his bike and went straight to Tara and his two sons. He scooped up Abel into his arms and kissed Tara on the cheek.

“Hey Jax, you wouldn’t mind Lex watching the boys while we go off to the cabin next weekend, would you?” Tara asked him the question right off the bat. Jax looked me over, and I assumed it clicked in his mind that I hadn’t said anything to Tara about him coming onto me yesterday. He smirked at me and nodded his head.

“I don’t have any issues with it. It’s up to the boys, really.” Jax looked Abel in his eyes and spoke to him.

“Hey buddy. How’d you feel about your auntie Lex babysitting you next weekend?” Abel grinned.

“Good idea…can she bring me more cookies?”

“Of course she can, big guy.” Jax put Abel back onto the ground and as Tara turned around for a moment to tend to Thomas, Jax mouthed the words ’ _I’m sorry_ ’ to me. I nodded my head at him, letting him know everything was just fine between us. Jax went off to have some fun at the carnival with his boys while Tara followed them. They really were a nice family, I only hoped that Jax would treat Tara as wonderfully as she deserved to be. As I lit up a cigarette for myself I felt a strong arm wrap around my shoulders. I looked up to have my blue eyes meet Juice’s chocolate brown orbs. Suddenly, Lyla’s warning about Juice being amazing in the sack replayed itself in my mind. Gosh, how could one single human being be so breathtaking?

“You know, there’s so many other enjoyable things you could be smoking.” He said to me.

“Hello to you to, Juice.” I turned around and gave Lyla the ’ _I’ll be ok, text me if Gemma comes so she doesn’t set me on fire and use my burning flesh to light her cigarette’ look. Lyla shot me back with a ’_ _I’ve got you girl, and I was serious about you using a rubber tonight’ look. Juice looked confused at the both of us, obviously because he didn’t realize that Lyla and I could communicate entirely through facial expressions._

“You alright?” He asked me.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Got anything in mind that you’d want to do tonight?” The two of us had already started walking away from the crowd together, his arm still laced around my shoulders. We were in that awkward stage of dating where it was obvious we both were into each other, but neither one of us was quite ready to make a serious move yet.

“I’ve been meaning to beat Tig at every carnival game they have, and watch Bobby humiliate himself performing Elvis songs later on tonight. But before all of that happens, I’m just your average guy looking to smoke some bud.” I figured the guys he was talking about were his fellow club members. At first it seemed strange that a motorcycle club would show up to a local carnival, but I’d began to realize how deeply connected the club was to the town’s history.

“So _that’s_ the enjoyable thing you mentioned earlier.” I said teasingly. He chuckled and softly removed my cigarette from my hands so that he could take a drag for himself. We were slowly inching away from the carnival, walking along a long dirt road which lead through the woods.

“Where exactly are we headed?” I lightly questioned, not wanting to go off too far just in case Gemma decided to make any surprise visits.

“Not far. I have a spot a little up ahead. Nothing too fancy.” He removed his arm from around me and handed me back my cigarette. I could feel his fingertips graze over mine, and I allowed my fingers to curl around his. I could feel my body shiver as I took a drag of my cigarette.

“That’s cool. How was… _church_?”

“Went well. Think we made a good decision.” He didn’t go into any further detail, and I felt slightly stupid for asking. I knew no club member would outwardly talk about stuff like that with someone he barely knew. We were surrounded by trees now but Juice seemed to know exactly where we were headed.

“You know, this is the first time I’m seeing you without getting smacked or run over.” He said it with a smirk on his face, squeezing my hand.

“I’m a clumsy shit ok? Take it or leave it.” I meant to be only joking, but as soon as those words left my mouth I stumbled a bit over a rock and was caught by Juice before I had the chance to completely tumble over.

“Geez Lex, I was _kidding_.” He was practically choking on his laughter and I felt my cheeks turn red with embarrassment. He turned towards me, and we locked eyes as he brushed a stray leaf out of my hair and tucked a couple strands behind my ear.

“You’re so beautiful.” His words were just above a whisper. What he didn’t know, is that I was thinking the exact same thing. From his tanned skin, to his tattoos, to his muscular build, and _those eyes_ , I’d never seen anyone like him. Two days ago, if someone had asked me what color eyes were my favorite, I wouldn’t of been very likely to say brown. Now, they were the only color eyes I wanted to look at. How sappy is that? I closed my own eyes as he leaned down to kiss me, our lips crashing into each other. I hadn’t gotten the chance to taste the full effect of his mouth earlier that day when he’d driven me home, but I definitely could now. I lightly bit his lip as we pulled away, feeling like I’d just gotten electrocuted in the best way possible. This was followed by a moment of silence, and then a nervous giggle.

“C'mon.” He said, lightly taking my hand as we walked for a couple more minutes through the woods. We made our way into a small clearing, surrounded by trees. There was a little bench off to the side, and you could tell there used to be sidewalk here. During the day, this little spot wouldn’t of looked like very much. In the nighttime, with the full moon overhead, it seemed cut off from the rest of the world. Peaceful and private and beautiful in its own way.

“You come here often?”

“Once a month, if I had to guess. Mostly when I need to think.”

“I like it.” Juice sat down on the bench. I laid down on the opposite side, letting my legs rest in his lap. His finger drew little circular motions into my thighs. I could feel him rustling through his pocket for something. He pulled out an empty orange pill bottle with a pre-rolled joint inside of it. He lit the end of it and took a large puff. I couldn’t help but notice that even the way he blew smoke out of his nose and mouth was sexy. He took another puff and then handed the joint to me. I couldn’t help but internally kick myself for being here for literally one day and I was already breaking _two_ of Gemma’s rules. _Fuck it, it’s too late to go back now. I took my hits and handed it back to Juice. It went on like that until the joint was finished and Juice tossed it. It had been too long since I had been able to sit in silence with someone and not feel awkward about it at all. After smoking my anxious thoughts seemed to disappear and I felt relaxed. Everything looked prettier, and I could hear every sound that much more intensely. It was a pretty nice body high as well, I could almost feel my blood rushing through my veins._

“You alright, babe?” Juice’s voice breaking me free from my thoughts.

“Yeah, just a lightweight. It’s been a while. Did you just call me ‘babe’?” In the darkness, I thought I could make out Juice’s face flushing red.

“I didn’t think you’d notice.” His hands were now resting on both my thighs.

“That was cute. Maybe this is just a spur in the moment kind of question but…how did you end up here, Juice? I know you said you’re from Queens. What made you move across the country?” He took a deep breath. I could tell he didn’t like talking about these things, but I was very curious.

“My dad left when I was very young, according to my mother it was two days after my younger sister’s first Christmas. We grew up pretty poor and I was never any good in school. I was good with computers and programming and systems though, that was always my thing. I never got along with my mother’s boyfriend. He beat my mother and me, the only one that wasn’t physically abused was my sister. He also was heavily involved with local gangs and drugs. I ended up dropping out of high school and got pulled into that life. Long story short, I used my computer skills to hack into some stuff that should’ve never been touched, on my step father’s behalf. Shit got bad and I had to get out of there. One night, that asshole just went too far. Him and my mother were fighting, he was drunk, and well…he nearly killed her. So I shot him in the head. He had a lot of drug money, I used about half of it getting help to cover up the murder. The other half of the money I used to flee Queens. I ended up here in Charming. I went to TM just trying to get a job as a mechanic, but Jax noticed right off the back how skilled I was in computer programming and hacking. He offered me a position prospecting and I accepted it. I’ve been officially patched into the club for two years now, I’m their intelligence officer. I have a home, and a family through the club. Any extra money I have, I send it back to my mom and sister in Queens. I haven’t seen either of them since I left but last I heard my sister uses the money I send over to go to college, which I am very proud of.”

I was shocked at how much Juice had just opened up to me. Yes, I was taken back by the fact that he had openly admitted to murdering someone, but I wasn’t naive to the ways of the club. I knew terrible things went down between them and other people, it was a part of the lifestyle. And if what he was saying was true, then he had saved his mother’s life, which was more than admirable in my eyes. There it was again, the sadness that would sometimes show through on his face. I could tell he was always trying to hide it with his goofiness, and I also knew there was a very dark side to him.

“You probably think I’m a terrible person. Honestly Lex, you’re way out of my league.” I sat up so that I could cup his puppy dog face in my hands.

“You saved your mother’s life. You work hard everyday so that your sister can go to school. You’re a gentle, sweet person by nature. And I feel safe with you, I really do. Trust me, I’m not even all that.” A smile made its way onto his face.

“I’ve never told anyone my full story before, not even as stoned as I am now. I haven’t known you for long at all, but when I talk you actually _listen. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had that, or even felt comfortable enough to have that.”_

“The last time I had that connection with someone, he died in a car accident.” I blurted the words out, since we _were_ sharing. I laid back down on the bench, staring up at the night sky above us.

“I’m so sorry about that…you could talk to me to, you know, if you feel comfortable enough.” I sighed, trying to place the words together in my head. I figured it was pretty obvious that I wasn’t here just to work for Gemma. I pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from my pocket and lit the end of it. I let the words roll off my tongue however they appeared in my head, while Juice went back to tracing patterns into my thighs with his hands. I started off with my dad’s business trips and my mom turning to alcohol and pills to drown out her sorrows. He already knew about my brother, Thomas, and his ongoing battle with cancer. I moved on to my parent’s divorce after she was caught cheating on him, and my family falling apart. Then it was me sneaking out and my own substance abuse problems. I talked about Jason, what he meant to me, how he helped me, and how his death affected me. I decided not to share with him my suicide attempt. It wasn’t that I didn’t feel safe giving him this information, it was just that a part of me still hadn’t come to terms with that either. I did tell him that I had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and I took medications for it. I didn’t mention being molested by my counselor when I was in the hospital, mostly because at this point I just felt ashamed. There were some memories I had poured all the way into the back of my mind. I had so many emotions after what happened that hadn’t even been touched yet. Honestly, I was terrified to deal with certain things, that being one of them. Lastly, I told him about my father and Gemma’s plan for me, and how they thought me being here would help me.

“So there you have it. I’m not _nearly_ as amazing as you seem to think I am.” As I said these words to him, I didn’t feel a weight lift off my chest. I almost felt like my pain had _doubled_ , for some unknown reason to me. As much as I tried to fight tears from falling down my cheeks, I could feel their wetness trailing down my face. I felt so _pathetic._ Juice had undeniably been in worse situations that I had, but yet here I was, crying like a complete idiot.

“I think you’re brave, strong, and you have so much love to give to those around you. Honestly, there’s no one I’d rather be sitting here with.” Juice gave my thigh a small, comforting squeeze and leaned over to take my hand in his, pulling me up so that I was facing him. I put my head down, not wanting to look vulnerable around him. He put his hands on either side of my face so I could look at him again. He came closer and placed a soft, sweet kiss on my forehead. In that moment, there was only one thing that I wanted. Gemma’s voice, Lyla’s voice, and my father’s voice all played themselves in my head and as much as I wanted to listen, they were drowned out by Juice’s. Maybe it was shocking to him that I was the one that planted my lips on his this time, but he didn’t stay shocked for long.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me on top of him so I was straddling him, our lips never breaking apart. I kissed my way down to his neck, nipping and sucking on the flesh. He let out a throaty moan, his hands making trips up and down my body. I was already feeling extremely hot and bothered, my initial euphoria rippling through me. My mouth found his again as I grinded my hips on his lap. We made out like that for a while, dry humping and grinding. I could feel his erection growing in his pants, and I could tell he was bigger than any guy I’d been with in the past. He was incredibly strong, picking me up in one swift movement and laying me down on the bench before getting on top of me. Now it was his turn to attack my neck with his lips and teeth. I couldn’t hold back my moans as he started to unbutton my top, his tongue getting lower and lower. I felt cold air hitting my nipple as my bra was pushed to the side, and then covered by his warm mouth. I began pushing his kutte down his shoulders, wanting to get rid of all the pesky pieces of fabric keeping me away from him. He got up to slide his leather kutte the rest of the way off and discarded it to the side before coming back down to me. I could taste and feel his tongue in my mouth as his hands glided up and down my thighs, daring to come closer and closer to my intimate areas. He had unbuttoned my jeans and was going to unzip them when my phone started buzzing in my pocket. Juice attempted to pay it no mind, his lips on my neck and his hand sliding into my pants. I, on the other hand, knew better than to ignore the phone call.

“Juice…hold on…” I said between moans. He grunted and got off of me as I reached for my phone in my pocket. It was Lyla, so I immediately answered the call.

“Hey.” I said, buttoning my shirt back up and attempting to pull myself together.

_'Lex, where are you? Gemma and Clay left early, they’re going to be here in fifteen minutes! I just got off the phone with her.’_

“Shit. Okay, I’m coming now.”

_'Meet me by the Ferris wheel so it looks like we’ve been together this whole time. Tell Juice I’m sorry.’_

“It’s fine, I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

’ _Ten minutes? You’re cutting it close. Hurry up!’_

“I will! Be right there.”

_'Alright, bye.’_ With that, Lyla hung up the phone. I turned to Juice who was looking confused.

“I’m sorry, I have to go back.”

“What’s wrong? Did anything happen?” He seemed concerned.

“No, everything’s fine. Gemma’s about to show up, that’s all.”

“Why do you care if Gemma is here?” I realized in that moment I hadn’t mentioned to him Gemma’s rule about not dating any club members. I felt my heart sink in my chest. There was no escaping this. I began explaining myself as I readjusted my pants.

“Well, you see, when I first got here…Gemma made it pretty clear to me that she didn’t like the idea of me…seeing any club members.” The confusion on Juice’s face dropped to sadness when I said this and he simply nodded his head. He pulled his kutte back on, not saying anything to me as he got up.

“So what you’re saying is, you’re hiding this from her.” He motioned his fingers in between the both of us as he said this.

“Juice, I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know what… _this_ is going to lead to.”

“It won’t lead to anything if you can’t tell Gemma the truth. It’s alright. I could understand why she and your dad would hate the idea of you being with me.”

“Gemma adores you, and I really like you to. I just wanted to give myself some time here, to actually get to know you, before I dropped a bomb like this on her.” I tried explaining myself, but I could tell I had hurt Juice’s feelings.

“It’s whatever, Lex. If you want to pretend like this never happened between us, that’s fine.” He began walking back, and I was forced to follow him. This walk had none of the sweet, dreamy feelings that the first one had. It was mostly silent. I could tell Juice had some confidence issues, and he was obviously feeling it was because of who he was that Gemma didn’t want me seeing him. I couldn’t think of a way to explain the situation to him without him feeling like he was the one at fault. I could see the lights of the carnival up ahead, and I attempted to get through to him one last time.

“I never meant for you to feel like I’m trying to hide you, because of your past, or because you’re in the club. This isn’t about _you_ , Juice, It’s about Gemma and I, and what she thinks is best for me. I can see that you’re a sweet guy, and I know she will to, if we just give it some time-…”

“Look, I’m not mad at you. I just thought you could be completely honest with me. And after all that _sharing_ back there, I thought you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be with me.”

“What the hell are you talking about? No one said anything about being _embarrassed to be with you. You’re being ridiculous.” He looked at me, angrily, and shook his head._

“You should head back to your _mother Gemma, before she catches you with an outlaw.” He shrugged and walked away, leaving me completely speechless. I couldn’t understand how such a good night had turned sour so quickly._

* * *

Well if you enjoyed that...thank you?


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